Heading into the ninth week of the 2017 regular season, the Salisbury University football team was one of the best teams in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, with its sights set on a second conference title in three years.

But back-to-back losses against rivals Wesley College and Frostburg State put Salisbury on the outside looking in come playoff time. The Sea Gulls did earn a bowl game, but fell to Ithaca College, ending the year with a three-game losing streak.

For nearly a year, Salisbury coaches and players have thought about how they ended the year, and with less than two weeks before the start of a new season, it’s what’s driving the Gulls to find redemption.

“That’s all I’m thinking about,” said Shane Gaines, a senior cornerback who missed the end of last season with an injury. “Even though I wasn’t a part of two (of the losses), I still felt it – I felt it deep. That was my motivation to come back. When other teams play Salisbury, they’re going to have to play their best game.”

Gaines is switching to corner after playing safety his first three years. He is expected to be paired with junior defensive back and All-Conference player Keith Payne, giving Salisbury the potential to have one of the best duos in the conference.

Despite the loss of several key players to graduation, Salisbury’s defense is the backbone of the team, returning lead tacklers Tom Montag and Patrick Bernardo, and senior end Isaac Johnson.

Montag, a linebacker, finished the season with 75 tackles, 1.5 sacks and five tackles for a loss. Despite leading the squad, the senior believes he still has work to do, noting his starting spot could be taken away at any moment.

“There are guys who are going to make me work,” Montag said. “We’ve got to compete to make each other better. We’re just trying to perfect the things we’re already doing. We need to be in the right spot every single time.”

Salisbury's offensive unit saw the most turnover in the offseason, with a new face coming in at the quarterback position.

Replacing 2017 starter Brandon Lewis is sophomore Jack Lanham who served as the primary backup last season, seeing action in four games.

Lanham, a 6-foot-3-inches, 220-pound athlete, said he’s the perfect candidate to run the Gulls’ triple-option system, with his size creating a huge advantage.

In his freshman campaign, Lanham threw for 154 yards and a touchdown. He also started for Salisbury in its bowl game against Ithaca.

“It helped a lot coming in, learning the playbook and really grasping the entire offense,” Lanham said. “Now I’m ready to get in and get moving.”

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Salisbury defensive back Shane Gaines runs after a Montclair State ball carrier on at Sea Gull Stadium in Salisbury.(Photo: File Photo)

In the past, Salisbury quarterbacks have had the luxury of handing the ball off to some of the top slot and super backs in the conference.

But the Gulls lost a large chunk of its running game, which averaged almost 300 rushing yards per game behind backs like Malique Pratt, Brady Curley, Ryan Kolb and Dandre Dennis. No current Salisbury player recorded more than 77 rushing yards in 2017.

“I think running is my go-to. That’s really all I did in high school,” Lanham said. “I think (the running backs) youthfulness is a good thing. We get to prove ourselves, and it really motivates us to come out and put our mark on this program.”

Head coach Sherman Wood expects it may take a game or two for his younger backs to get acclimated to a game situation, but with a strong arsenal of players, the 20-year coach doesn’t think the unit will miss a beat.

Senior Kadarrius Campbell is expected to start the season at super back, after sitting out most of last year with an injury.

“He’s that guy,” Wood said. “He played two games last year and showed flashes of hitting that hole real hard until he got injured.”

Junior Michael Mofor, another super back who didn’t play in 2017, is also expected to have a big role in the offense.

“They’re our one-two punch,” Wood said.

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Salisbury University's Andrew Houck (79) Junior Offensive lineman during the game against Frostburg State University on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017.(Photo: Staff Photo by Megan Raymond)

The slot back position, which lost the most players to graduation, is still a question mark heading into the season. Wood said it’s still an open competition for the starting spots.

“Hopefully some of the young kids just grow up a little fast,” Wood said. “We’re going to rally, and the team knows that. We need to be complete to win football games.”

The Gulls start their season with three straight games at Sea Gull Stadium. The first is slated for Aug. 31 against Albright. Salisbury was tabbed to finish third in the NJAC by conference coaches.

After losing to Albright in the first game of the season last year, Salisbury rebounded with a seven-game win streak, before its first conference loss to Wesley.

However, as the Gulls continue to build chemistry and young players establish a presence, Gaines thinks playing at home for a long stretch will have a lasting effect on Salisbury’s season.

In front of a packed crowd sporting the maroon and gold, Gains said Salisbury’s opening game will be the start of a great and memorable season.

“We’ve had great success at home,” Gaines said. “In the beginning, we’re the team to beat, so being at home, these are must wins. The crowd will help us give us the boost to dominate, not just win the games.”